Series: American Heritage

The Irish have influenced the city of Portland since it was first
established in the seventeenth century. Today's vibrant Catholic
community owes its origins to Irish immigrants in Portland's
earliest days, when beloved leaders like Father Ffrench provided
solace to souls far from home. The church helped them adapt and
adapted along with them, affecting the city in many ways.
Portland's Irish faced discrimination, especially in the years
before the Civil War, when anti-Irish sentiment surged and burnings
and violence erupted, like the June 1855 Rum Riot. Despite this,
many Portland Irish took up arms for the United States in the Civil
War, and their participation in this conflict helped them become
assimilated. Join local expert Matthew Jude Barker as he explores
the triumphs and challenges of the Irish of Portland before the
twentieth century.